Vehicular camera with pliable connection of PCBS

ABSTRACT

A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle so as to have a field of view exterior of the vehicle includes a lens holder, an imager printed circuit board, a connector printed circuit board and a rear housing. The circuitry of the imager printed circuit board is electrically connected to the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board via a flexible electrical connector. The imager printed circuit board has an imager disposed at a side thereof and is attached to the lens holder with the imager side facing the lens. The imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via a pliable material. The rear housing is mated with the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed board.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/459,992, filed Jul. 2, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,676,041, which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/694,493, filed Jul. 6, 2018, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a vehicle vision system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a vehicle vision system that utilizes one or more cameras at a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known. Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a driver assistance system or vision system or imaging system for a vehicle that utilizes one or more cameras to capture image data representative of images exterior of the vehicle. The camera includes a lens holder and an imager printed circuit board, with the imager printed circuit board fixed to the lens holder. The camera also includes a rear housing and a connector printed circuit board, with the connector printed circuit board fixed to the rear housing. The imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are attached or joined together with a pliable material.

Therefore, the vehicular camera uses a compliant or pliable or conformable or malleable or compressible material disposed between the two printed circuit boards of the camera, so that the imager printed circuit board can be attached at the lens holder and the connector printed circuit board can be attached at the rear housing. If those attachments are made first, then when the housing and lens holder are mated together, the pliable material compresses or conforms to accommodate dimension deviations. If the printed circuit boards are joined via the pliable material and then attached at the lens holder and/or housing after joining, the pliable material compresses or conforms to accommodate dimension deviations to ease the assembly process and maintain proper location of the camera components.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle with a vision system that incorporates cameras in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2G are perspective views of printed circuit boards (PCBs) of a camera assembled with a flat build, having a flexible ribbon cable connecting the PCBs;

FIGS. 3A-3E are perspective views of other PCBs assembled with pliable connections in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of a PCB pliable stack and a pliable sub-assembly respectively in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or object detection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exterior of the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display images and to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path of the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuvering the vehicle in a rearward direction. The vision system includes an image processor or image processing system that is operable to receive image data from one or more cameras and provide an output to a display device for displaying images representative of the captured image data. Optionally, the vision system may provide display, such as a rearview display or a top down or bird's eye or surround view display or the like.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12 that includes at least one exterior viewing imaging sensor or camera, such as a rearward viewing imaging sensor or camera 14 a (and the system may optionally include multiple exterior viewing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forward viewing camera 14 b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and a sideward/rearward viewing camera 14 c, 14 d at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens (such as a plurality of lens optics at a lens barrel 31 that is accommodated at the lens holder) for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera (FIG. 1). Optionally, a forward viewing camera may be disposed at the windshield of the vehicle and view through the windshield and forward of the vehicle, such as for a machine vision system (such as for traffic sign recognition, headlamp control, pedestrian detection, collision avoidance, lane marker detection and/or the like). The vision system 12 includes a control or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor 18 that is operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras and may detect objects or the like and/or provide displayed images at a display device 16 for viewing by the driver of the vehicle (although shown in FIG. 1 as being part of or incorporated in or at an interior rearview mirror assembly 20 of the vehicle, the control and/or the display device may be disposed elsewhere at or in the vehicle). The data transfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may comprise any suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

Typically, active focus and alignment is used to set and secure a focal position of a lens to an imager component. However, this leads to expensive and complicated measures to manage the compliance tolerances created by camera components and manufacturing focus/alignment process. Referring now to FIGS. 2A-2G, cameras are typically assembled using flat build construction. FIG. 2A illustrates the exploded view of a typical assembly of an imager printed circuit board (PCB), a connector PCB, a lens holder (including a lens), and mounting hardware. FIG. 2B illustrates the next step of installing the mounting hardware. FIG. 2C demonstrates fixing, focusing, and aligning the lens and imager PCB while simultaneously managing the connector PCB, which is electrically connected to the imager PCB via a flexible ribbon cable (alternatively, the flex cable may be incorporated into the PCB). In FIG. 2D, the connector PCB is installed into a rear cover or housing. In FIG. 2E, screws are used to secure the connector PCB to the rear housing. As shown in FIG. 2F, the rear housing and the lens holder are then assembled together with FIG. 2G illustrating the completed assembly 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-3E, the present invention provides an alternative build assembly. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an exploded view of lens cover 32, imager PCB 33, connector PCB 35, pliable material 36, and mounting hardware. The imager PCB 33 and the connector PCB 35 are fixed, attached, stacked or otherwise joined together through the use of pliable material 36. As shown in FIG. 3A, the imager PCB and the connector PCB are joined together via the pliable material (and via an electrical connector, such as a flexible connector or cable or such as a multi-pin connection or the like, that electrically connects circuitry of the imager PCB with circuitry of the connector PCB and that may allow for movement of one of the PCBs relative to the other while maintaining electrical connection between the circuitry of the PCBs) before attaching the imager PCB at the lens holder (such as via adhesive dots 38 or an adhesive bead, such as by utilizing aspects of the cameras and processes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,277,104 and/or 8,542,451, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties) and optically aligning and focusing the lens at the imager. Optionally, the lens barrel 31 may be adhesively attached at the lens holder during the process of optically aligning and focusing the lens relative to the imager (after the imager PCB is attached at the lens holder).

The pliable material 36 that joins the imager PCB 33 and the connector PCB 35 allows for movement between the imager PCB 33 and connector PCB 35 in all directions during the camera assembly process (e.g., compression, expansion, lateral movement, tilting movement, and twisting movement, whereby the connector PCB may move towards or away from the imager PCB and/or may tilt toward one or more side regions and/or may rotate about an axis, such as the optical axis of the lens, relative to the imager PCB). This allows for increasing the fitting tolerances and absorbing and/or compensating for tolerance problems from components and manufacturing optical alignment and focusing processes. In FIG. 3C, the lens holder 32 is mounted to the imager PCB 33 and connector PCB 35 (e.g., via adhesive dots 38 or fasteners). As shown in FIG. 3D, the rear housing 34 is then installed over the imager PCB 33 and connector PCB 35 assembly, where it is mated with and attached to the lens holder or cover 32 to finish camera assembly 30 (FIG. 3E). The connector PCB 35 and/or the image PCB and connector PCB assembly may electrically connect with circuitry within the rear housing to pass electrical signals from the assembly through the housing. Alternatively the rear housing may provide an aperture for a connector portion of the assembly to pass through. FIG. 4A illustrates another view of the imager PCB and the connector PCB fixed, attached, or joined together via the pliable material. As shown in FIG. 4B, the rear housing easily mates to the PCB and lens sub-assembly. The connector PCB 35 may include an electrical connector element 37 that electrically connects to a connector portion 34 a (such as a coaxial connector or multi-pin connector) of the rear housing 34 to electrically connect circuitry of the PCBs to the connector element 37, which is configured to electrically connect the camera to a vehicle wire harness when the camera is installed at a vehicle.

Thus, the present invention provides a pliable material disposed between the imager PCB and the connector PCB of a camera, so that the imager PCB can be attached at the lens holder (such as via adhesive or fasteners) and the PCBs may be installed into the rear housing and then, when the housing and lens holder are mated together (to encase the joined imager PCB and connector PCB), the compliant pliable material compresses to accommodate dimension deviations. The pliable material creates a flexible and pliable stack of the two or more PCBs (i.e., more than two PCBs may be stacked in the same manner). The PCBs can then move independently in all directions because the joining material is soft and compliant and can thus absorb or accommodate or compensate for variations in dimensions/tolerances of the components and variations in the manufacturing alignment/focus processes. The material may comprise any suitable soft, pliable, compressible material, such as an elastomeric material or rubber material or the like (e.g., adhesive pad, gel, clips, etc.). This may lead to a reduction in capital expenditures due to less components and relaxed tolerances. Additionally, the present invention allows for increased thermal transfer from PCB to PCB in a two board application. Recurring costs are reduced through reduction or elimination of the flex cable and screws. The reduction of screws reduces PCB “keep-outs” which may reduce overall PCB board sizes or increase component density. Further, the difficult step of installing the connector PCB into the rear housing is eliminated and the “stacked” PCB sub-assembly allows for easier and less complex manufacturing process/tooling.

The camera thus may include electrical connecting elements that accommodate tolerances in the housing and/or PCB mounting and/or connector portion. The electrical connecting elements may utilize aspects of the cameras and electrical connectors described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,233,641 and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2013-0242099; US-2014-0373345; US-2015-0222795; US-2015-0266430; US-2015-0365569; US-2016-0037028; US-2016-0268716; US-2017-0133811; US-2017-0295306 and/or US-2017-0302829, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, the electrical connections may be established via molded interconnect device (MID) technology, such as by utilizing aspects of the cameras described in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2018-0072239; US-2017-0295306 and/or US-2016-0037028, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image data captured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects or other vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one or more of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise an image processing chip selected from the EYEQ family of image processing chips available from Mobileye Vision Technologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detection software (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detect vehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, and when an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate an alert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at the displayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected object or vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detected object or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver of the equipped vehicle.

Optionally, the camera may comprise a forward viewing camera, such as disposed at a windshield electronics module (WEM) or the like. The forward viewing camera may utilize aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,256,821; 7,480,149; 6,824,281 and/or 6,690,268, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2015-0327398; US-2015-0015713; US-2014-0160284; US-2014-0226012 and/or US-2009-0295181, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the vehicular camera comprising: a lens holder accommodating a lens; an imager printed circuit board, wherein the imager printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the imager printed circuit board, and wherein the imager printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an imager of the circuitry is disposed at the first side of the imager printed circuit board; a connector printed circuit board, wherein the connector printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the connector printed circuit board, and wherein the connector printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an electrical connector element is disposed at the second side of the connector printed circuit board; wherein the circuitry of the imager printed circuit board is electrically connected to the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board via a flexible electrical connector; wherein the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via a pliable material disposed between and attaching at the first side of the connector printed circuit board and attaching at the second side of the imager printed circuit board; wherein the imager printed circuit board is attached to the lens holder with the first side of the imager printed circuit board and the imager facing the lens and with the lens optically aligned with and focused at the imager; a rear housing that is mated with the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board; wherein the electrical connector element is aligned with an electrical connector portion of the rear housing as the rear housing is mated with the lens holder; and wherein the electrical connector element electrically connects the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board to the electrical connector portion of the rear housing when the rear housing is mated with the lens holder.
 2. The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the pliable material allows for movement between the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board during assembly of the vehicular camera.
 3. The vehicular camera of claim 2, wherein the movement allowed by the pliable material allows for increased fitting tolerances of the vehicular camera.
 4. The vehicular camera of claim 2, wherein the movement allowed by the pliable material facilitates alignment of the electrical connector element with the electrical connector portion of the rear housing as the rear housing is mated with the lens holder.
 5. The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via the pliable material before the imager printed circuit board is attached to the lens holder.
 6. The vehicular camera of claim 5, wherein the rear housing is mated with the lens holder after the imager printed circuit board is attached to the lens holder.
 7. The vehicular camera of claim 5, wherein the lens is optically aligned with and focused at the imager after the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via the pliable material.
 8. The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector portion of the rear housing is configured to electrically connect to a wire harness of a vehicle equipped with the vehicular camera.
 9. The vehicular camera of claim 8, wherein the electrical connector portion of the rear housing comprises a coaxial connector.
 10. The vehicular camera of claim 1, wherein the pliable material comprises a compressible elastomeric material.
 11. The vehicular camera of claim 10, wherein the pliable material comprises a rubber material.
 12. A method for assembling a vehicular camera, the method comprising: providing a lens holder accommodating a lens; providing an imager printed circuit board, wherein the imager printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the imager printed circuit board, and wherein the imager printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an imager of the circuitry is disposed at the first side of the imager printed circuit board; providing a connector printed circuit board, wherein the connector printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the connector printed circuit board, and wherein the imager printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an electrical connector element is disposed at the second side of the connector printed circuit board; providing a rear housing; electrically connecting the circuitry of the imager printed circuit board to the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board via a flexible electrical connector; joining the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board via a pliable material disposed between and attaching at the first side of the connector printed circuit board and attaching at the second side of the imager printed circuit board; positioning the imager printed circuit board at the lens holder and optically aligning and focusing the lens at the imager; attaching the imager printed circuit board to the lens holder with the first side of the imager printed circuit board and the imager facing the lens and with the lens optically aligned with and focused at the imager; positioning the rear housing at the lens holder to align the electrical connector element of the connector printed circuit board with an electrical connector portion of the rear housing; attaching the rear housing to the lens holder to encase the image printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board within the rear housing; and connecting circuitry of the connector printed circuit board to the electrical connector portion of the rear housing as the rear housing is attached to the lens holder.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the pliable material allows for movement between the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board during assembly of the vehicular camera.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the pliable material allows for movement of the electrical connector element of the connector printed circuit board relative to the lens holder to facilitate aligning the electrical connector element with the electrical connector portion of the rear housing.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the imager printed circuit board to the lens holder is after joining the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board.
 16. The method of claim 12, wherein attaching the rear housing to the lens holder is after attaching the imager printed circuit board to the lens holder.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein attaching the imager printed circuit board to the lens holder is after joining the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the pliable material comprises a compressible elastomeric material.
 19. A vehicular camera configured to be disposed at a vehicle, the vehicular camera comprising: a lens holder accommodating a lens; an imager printed circuit board, wherein the imager printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the imager printed circuit board, and wherein the imager printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an imager of the circuitry is disposed at the first side of the imager printed circuit board; a connector printed circuit board, wherein the connector printed circuit board comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side and separated from the first side by a thickness of the connector printed circuit board, and wherein the connector printed circuit board has circuitry thereat, and wherein an electrical connector element is disposed at the second side of the connector printed circuit board; wherein the circuitry of the imager printed circuit board is electrically connected to the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board via a flexible electrical connector; wherein the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board are joined together via a pliable material disposed between and attaching at the first side of the connector printed circuit board and attaching at the second side of the imager printed circuit board; wherein the pliable material comprises a compressible elastomeric material; wherein the pliable material allows for movement between the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board during assembly of the vehicular camera; wherein the imager printed circuit board is attached to the lens holder with the first side of the imager printed circuit board and the imager facing the lens and with the lens optically aligned with and focused at the imager; a rear housing that is mated with the lens holder to encase the imager printed circuit board and the connector printed circuit board; wherein the movement allowed by the pliable material facilitates alignment of the electrical connector element with an electrical connector portion of the rear housing as the rear housing is mated with the lens holder; and wherein the electrical connector element electrically connects the circuitry of the connector printed circuit board to the electrical connector portion of the rear housing when the rear housing is mated with the lens holder.
 20. The vehicular camera of claim 19, wherein the movement allowed by the pliable material allows for increased fitting tolerances of the vehicular camera.
 21. The vehicular camera of claim 19, wherein the pliable material comprises a rubber material. 